The man who died in the explosion that eviscerated a suburban home in New Jersey a day ago was a retired Newark police officer who served the department for almost three decades, authorities confirmed Friday.
Kevin Gilbert, 62, according to police, died Thursday evening when a Continental Court home on a quiet cul-de-sac in South River blew up.
A Newark police officer for nearly 26 years, Gilbert served in various departments from September 1990 to April 2016. He had stints with teams including the robbery unit, the Safe City Task Force and the 4th Precinct Detective Bureau.
"On behalf of the entire Newark Department of Public Safety, Director Fragé offers prayers of peace and comfort to the loved ones of retired Newark Police Officer Kevin Gilbert. May he forever Rest in Peace," a statement read.
The other victim in the blast, an unidentified man related to Gilbert, remained in critical condition Friday with burns to 90% of his body.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation. The mayor of South River said a gas leak is being eyed as a possible cause, but added it was too early to say anything definitively. There were no reports of any work being done on the home.
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Photos of the aftermath showed the home almost entirely blown away, with shards of wood and small clumps of pink fiberglass insulation strewn about the street, dotting the manicured front lawns of neighboring houses. The largest piece remaining was a section of the roof with dormer windows from the second floor.
An investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the incident was asked to call South River Police or the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.
